Share item

Expert:

What is a 4D Sonogram? This can be simply described as a 3-dimensional picture created of your baby inside you during pregnancy. Find out more in this video.

Transcript: You may already be familiar with the sonogram pictures your doctor takes of your baby. Now, modern technology...

You may already be familiar with the sonogram pictures your doctor takes of your baby. Now, modern technology is taking the sonogram to a whole new dimension. A normal sonogram uses a probe to transmit sound waves into your belly. The probe then "listens" for an echoing sound, which it uses to create a three dimensional picture of your fetus. Recently, doctors have discovered an even more advanced viewing technology: The four dimensional sonogram. A 4D sonogram works in the same way as a 3D one, but adds a fourth-dimension-time-to the picture. The result is a live-action "video" of your baby in real time. With a 4D sonogram, you can watch your baby wriggle, smile, suck his thumb, and more. Doctors like 4D technology, too, because the movement patterns can help a doctor quickly discern how a baby is developing. The 4D sonogram is also a valuable diagnostic tool because it can identify problems with a fetus sooner than would otherwise be possible. After a 4D sonogram, your doctor can use a process called volume rendering to take moving images and compile them into still-frame photos. Because 4D sonograms are still relatively new, they are not available in all hospitals - nor are they necessary for most pregnancies. If you're interested in learning more about this viewing technology, talk to your doctor.